The present embodiment relates to an imaging device for a joint of a human.
An imaging device is known from, for example, the NORAS 8 Ch CPC coil.
In magnetic resonance tomography, images with a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) are recorded with local coils. Local coils are antenna systems that are attached in the immediate vicinity on (anterior) or under (posterior) the patient. In case of a magnetic resonance measurement, excited cores in the individual antennas of the local coil induce a voltage that is amplified via a low-noise pre-amplifier (LNA) and forwarded (e.g., by cable) to an evaluation device.
In magnetic resonance tomography, a “coil” may be an antenna system including an antenna element or a plurality of antenna elements. The individual antenna elements may be embodied as loop antennas, butterfly antennas or saddle coils. A coil includes, for example, the antenna elements, the pre-amplifier or pre-amplifiers, further electronics such as, for example, sheath-wave traps, cabling, housing or embedding material and a cable with a plug, using which the coil is connected to the evaluation device.
Special coils may be used for imaging in the region of the extremities (e.g., in the lower extremities (knee, foot) of a human). For example, the requirements of orthopedic imaging make it necessary to arrange the joint in different defined positions (e.g., the knee in different angles and/or the knee or ankle joint slightly twisted or under loading). This “functional imaging” is becoming of increasing importance for orthopedic examinations.
In the prior art, the body coil may be used for reception. A flexible receive coil is used, and the knee is brought into different positions with cushions or in free movement. These approaches are very improvisatorial and due to the poor degree of reproducibility, unsuitable for clinical applications.
The imaging device may be used to bring the knee of a human into defined positions. The defined positioning relates to the joint in question. In addition, with the imaging device, defined positioning with respect to the magnetic resonance tomography system may not automatically be achieved.